All Things Considered

Cortijada Los Gázquez
Posted by Angie Lewin

It's day 5 at Cortijada Los Gázquez, a remote farmhouse in the Andalusian mountains surrounded by the most inspiring abundance of wild flowers and grasses, almond and olive trees.

I'm here as part of the Joya: arte + ecología programme of artist residencies alongside students on the Art Forms in Nature course run by Simon Beckmann. Here's a drawing made in the studio here of tassel hyacinth and stems of sage seedheads.

Posted by Angie Lewin on May 25th, 2011

Rural architecture
Posted by Simon Lewin

Angie and I are travelling in Spain at the minute. Yesterday we took a favourite walk in the Pyrenees. 

Here's a modern refuge on the route, part of the GR-150, close to Santuari del Boscalt, near Ansovell. No idea who designed it - I'll try to find out.

The first photo shows the hut at the start of the circular route we took - the second towards the end of the day when a thunder & hail storm allowed us to make proper use.

Posted by Simon Lewin on May 19th, 2011

Drawing at the Museum
Posted by Angie Lewin

It was great to be asked to take part in Ceri Levy's Ghosts of Gone Birds project which brings together over 60 contemporary artists bringing back to life a bird that has been lost, highlighting the dangers of bird extinction.

I've always loved the idea of working in a museum so I had a wonderful day at the Natural History Museum in Tring drawing the feather of the Double-banded Argus. It was fascinating (in a sort of macabre way) to see the huge collection of preserved birds in cabinets and drawers that included the most amazingly vibrantly coloured pheasants and peacocks. As I drew I watched our lively native birds, hopping on the bare branches outside, unaware of the thousands of species - exotic and familiar - stored inside. The result of the visit is this new wood engraving, 'Drawing at the Museum' which will feature in the exhibition.

The exhibition opens in Liverpool later in May with a London appearance due for November.

To keep up to date with other venues and activities, visit the Ghosts of Gone Birds Facebook page.

Posted by Angie Lewin on May 13th, 2011

About Britain No. 2
Posted by Simon Lewin

Here's the second in the "About Britain" series of books published for the Festival of Britain office in 1951.

'Wessex' features a title page illustrated by Kenneth Rowntree. I've also included a rather striking image of a swanherd.

Posted by Simon Lewin on March 22nd, 2011

Phronesis
Posted by Simon Lewin

Looking forward to our Saturday night out at The Vortex to see Phronesis, a trio led by bassist Jasper Høiby. And we'll be seeing them again later in the year, supporting Wayne Shorter at the Barbican in October.

Posted by Simon Lewin on March 12th, 2011

Southwold town sign
Posted by Simon Lewin

Our friend Brian Webb of Webb & Webb has just designed a new sign for this Suffolk coastal town.

The sign is a ‘slice through the sea making a plinth for the town name, stacked on the waves. People walking over the bridge will see the golden-eyed fish in the waves’, Brian told the Eastern Daily Press.

Find out more about the work of Webb & Webb.

Posted by Simon Lewin on August 12th, 2010

Adam Bridgland
Posted by Simon Lewin

'You Will Have Dignity If You Come Here' is Adam Bridgland's first public art commission in the United Kingdom. He was awarded it in 2009 by Futures Community College and Commissions East. A year in development and fabrication in collaboration with AJ Wells on the Isle Of Wight, the work is now installed and will be unveiled to the public later in the summer.

The title for the work is inspired by a line in a poem by a student at Futures College. The poem was a response to someone coming to Southend for the first time and was completed when Adam was doing workshops with the students in preparation for the commission. As well as the link to achievement and awards,  he star references the lights on Southend's famous prominade. This is emphasised by the photoluminescent paint around the edges of the aluminium frame, that will bring the artwork to life at night.

View further images or visit Adam's website.

Posted by Simon Lewin on July 22nd, 2010

Islabikes
Posted by Kate Sullivan

I hadn’t realised just how awful the choice was for quality kids' bicycles until we started searching to buy an upgrade for our 6 year old. At first we were looking for something not too dissimilar to a Dutch ‘sit-up-and-beg’ bike but we found nothing. We found childrens' versions of the bikes we own and they weren't bad, but they seemed heavy and the brakes unreachable for small hands. We then discovered through various forums that Islabikes had a fantastic reputation.

"Isla has put her years of cycle design experience and practical cycling knowledge together to produce a range of exclusive bikes for children. She has searched the world for suitable tiny components, and where they have not been available has had them made.

All bikes have child specific frame geometry and a full set of proportional components, including brakes that can be operated safely with small hands. Gear ratios are carefully selected to suit the age of the child. Each bike can be customised at the point of purchase with tyres that exactly suit the intended use - you can also have a set of full mudguards and a carrier. This way each bike can be used for mountain biking and cyclo cross, as a track racing machine at your local track league, for going to school, touring holidays or days out exploring with the family."

Bikes can be ordered online http://www.islabikes.co.uk or you can visit them at their base in Ludlow.

Posted by Kate Sullivan on April 14th, 2010

David Gentleman
Posted by Simon Lewin

This week sees the opening of a new exhibition at the Fine Art Society on Bond Street.

'David Gentleman at Eighty' celebrates the 80th birthday of this artist and designer who has worked in a range media - wood engraving, watercolour and lithography.

The exhibition also sees the launch of a new edition of 'Ask The Fellows Who Cut The Hay' by George Ewart Evans (Gentleman's father-in-law) which is illustrated throughout by 60 of the artist's beautiful watercolour paintings and drawings. David worked on the images all through the summer, autumn and winter of 2009 in Blaxhall, the Suffolk village on which the book is centred.

The exhibition runs at the Fine Art Society, 148 New Bond Street, London, during March and April 2010. You can find out more about the book via the Full Circle website.

Posted by Simon Lewin on March 23rd, 2010

Henry Moore
Posted by Angie Lewin

I walked my usual route from Pimlico tube to Tate Britain this morning to see the Henry Moore exhibition. I've loved these pollarded plane trees in John Islip Street since I was a student. They looked as good as ever against today's blue sky. The exhibition was impressive and inspiring too. Keeping to the tree theme, a series of reclining figures carved in elm were both a highlight and a sad reminder of the loss of these beautiful trees from our landscape.

The Henry Moore exhibition runs at Tate Britain until 8th August 2010. More

Posted by Angie Lewin on March 23rd, 2010